Minister of Infrastructure and Urban Development Charles Milupi has directed the Road Development Development Agency (RDA) to immediately engage the Zambia Army to carry out emergency works on the Ndola-Sakanya road in Ndola.
Mr. Milupi made the directive after a physical inspection of the part of the Ndola-Mufulira road, where he found hundreds of trucks stuck due to their deplorable state.
The minister also added that the government has received various bids for the infrastructure and is in the process of analysing them, and directed RDA to engage the Zambia Army to carry out emergency works to enable a smooth flow of traffic before the commencement of the project.
Mr Milupi said the Zambia Army is one of the reliable assets that the country has to respond to emergencies like the one on the Ndola-Sakanya road.
“The Zambia Army has enough human resources with the knowledge and ability to help the country in crises like these, and we are more than willing to engage them on more such projects,” he said.
He said the concrete road would be constructed on the deplorable infrastructure and extended to a section on the Ndola-Lusaka road from Jacaranda Mall to Indeni area.
The minister also indicated that RDA and the ministry would release funds to enable the Zambia Army to work on the poor stretch to make it passable.
The minister, who is on the Copperbelt to check the road infrastructure, is accompanied by Minister of Transport and Logistics, Frank Tayali, RDA Board of Directors chairperson Mulchand Kuntawala, RDA acting Chief Executive Officer Grace Mutembo, and officials from the agency.
